Lagos’s GoBao restaurant offers tasty buns with “exclusive flavours and delicious combinations”
– April 8, 2024 | Text Beatriz Maio
There is a new take-away hotspot in Lagos with a concept that many are looking for. Created by the team behind the popular Gorilla restaurant, GoBao brings exclusive flavours and delicious combinations to the Algarve with recipes based on a typical Chinese favourite – the bao bun.
With options you won’t find anywhere else, the idea is to try different baos wherever you are, be it at a co-working space, on the beach, or to take on the go.
They are ideal for any moment or at any time. For breakfast, you can choose your bao base filled with scrambled eggs or crispy tofu and add other tasty fillings such as bacon, ham and cheese, avocado, spinach or kale, and mushrooms. As for the rest of the day, the menu is rich in temptations, from the well-known crispy chicken Katsu to Pork or Prawn Bao.
As we are in the Algarve, specials have been created to convey and honour the essence of the region. These include seafood delicacies such as the Tuna Niçoise, Fried Squid, and Satay or Softshell Crab, an incredible suggestion.
For meat lovers, the options are just as mouth-watering – from the Pulled Duck and Braised Pork Cheek baos to the brand new Piri Piri Chicken and Bifana baos.
There are also vegan options such as the Crispy Tofu and Mushroom, as well as several condiments, including the special Gorilla sauce.
If you’re in a hurry, you can count on service that is up to the task, or if you have time to spare, you can sit at the tables on the first floor.
Barbara Wallisch, originally from Austria, and Jamayne Vale, from England, share a love of Asian culture and customer service.
They met when Barbara was looking for a head chef and found exactly what she was looking for: Jamayne had just returned from Japan, where he specialised in Japanese food. After five years working together at Gorilla, in a strong partnership in both business and love, they have embarked on a new venture with GoBao.
With their joint experience in hospitality, together they built up the dream of opening their own place and, after some searching, they found the ideal location. “We were looking at a lot of different locations, but could never really find the right spot and then we came around this one and we found it perfect because it’s just in town and it’s close by for everyone that wants a snack,” Barbara explained.
This is a concept that was born out of two joint passions and the desire for both to go further and invite everyone to try their gastronomic experiences. “We felt we needed something new, a challenge, so we decided to create something fast, easy for take away and with really great comfort food,” the owner revealed adding that the pair created the menu together as well. They only use fresh ingredients and Jamayne makes the bao dough every morning “to make sure that it tastes really good”.
The restaurant presents a mix of Asian fusion with Portuguese culture served by a multinational team, with an intimate, friendly, and professional service stemming from the knowledge Barbara acquired through her studies in Austria and working in a lot of high-end restaurants in the country. She came to Lagos exactly 10 years ago with the idea of just spending a holiday to enjoy the sunshine. However, she ended up falling in love with the atmosphere and wanted to extend her stay.
Ever since she opened Gorilla, seven years ago, she has been winning over locals and tourists alike with a successful restaurant.
Now, she and Jamayne work together at Gorilla and GoBao, both pet-friendly restaurants, ensuring quality and satisfaction for everyone. But their ambition doesn’t stop here: the dream is for GoBao to become a household name with one location in every major city in Portugal.
